Domestic violence

Why does domestic violence happen?

Why do some people abuse their partners? There could be any number of
reasons, including family dysfunction, inadequate communication
skills, provocation by women, stress, chemical
dependency, lack of spirituality, and economic hardship.
While these issues are often associated with the abuse of
women, they are not the cause, nor will the removal of these
factors mitigate or end the problem of domestic violence.
Abusers adopt and maintain abusive behavior patterns because
these patterns allow them to gain and maintain control over
another person. Batterers typically don't suffer adverse consequences
as a result of these behaviors.

Violence against women, historically, has not been treated as a real
crime; those who abuse their partners are rarely incarcerated, fined,
or ostracized by their communities. Abusers come from all walks of life,
all backgrounds, and all personality types. There are, nevertheless, some
characteristics that may be used to define the general profile of an abuser:

Abusers objectify women, unable to see them as people. They do not
respect women as a group and instead, they view them as property or
sexual objects.

Abusers typically have low self-esteem and feel powerless and inadequate,
despite their successes in life (e.g., academic, professional, economic,
athletic).

Mary Kay Inc. Supports Women's Shelters
Since 2000, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation has awarded millions of dollars
to women's shelters across the United States. From 2005 through 2007, the Foundation
has awarded $20,000 grants, totaling $3 million, to 150 shelters in all 50 states for
each of these years.